Obsidian
by LiberalShill
Summary: "Let me go!" she cried as she thrashed around in Fitz's arms struggling to escape. Her suitcase now lay astray and the contents of her purse spilled on the ground. "Shh, calm down ma petite bichette it's alright," Fitz gently cooed in her ear as he stroked her hair and tasted her plump red lips.
1. The Beginning

**Disclaimer: I don't own Scandal.**

 **AN: This is a story about Fitz developing an obsession for Olivia.** **It will be dark and contain _tons_ of angst. If you're looking for something fluffy and light-hearted, stop now. Anyways, if you're still with me, I hope you like it! **

**TW: Dark/Possessive Fitz and Amour Fou**

* * *

 **"Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta. She was Lo, plain Lo, in the morning, standing four feet ten in one sock. She was Lola in slacks. She was Dolly at school. She was Dolores on the dotted line. But in my arms she was always Lolita." - Vladimir Nabokov**

* * *

'He's staring again,' thought Olivia as she lowered her eyes to the ground. She didn't have to do much contemplation to know why he was glaring at her so intensely. She had just rejected his advances last night for the third time. However, even though his ogling was fairly commonplace, this time it felt different. It felt like he was trying to burn her with his gaze.

"Liv are you there?", asked Cyrus attempting to bring her out of her stupor. They were analyzing the latest polling data and strategizing about the next state that Fitz should campaign in. While Fitz was ahead of Reston by a wide margin, they still needed to energize the rust belt states to secure a victory. Thus Cyrus, Olivia, and key strategists created a plan for how Fitz should campaign in those states.

"I'm listening," steadily replied Olivia as to not convey her nervousness about Fitz's proximity to her. Throughout the course of the conference he had gradually inched closer to her and firmly settled his hand on her thigh. Anytime she attempted to move her thigh away, he would dig his fingernails into her soft brown flesh and send her warning look. Mellie sat across from them pretending that she didn't notice her husband's treatment toward his campaign fixer. However, she had noticed it the moment Olivia Pope joined their campaign 6 months ago.

After Olivia's startling deconstruction of their relationship, Fitzgerald had become fixated on her. Regardless of where he was or who was in the room, his eyes would seek her out. At first, Mellie had deluded herself into thinking that this was a mere infatuation, but her veil of delusion quickly evaporated. She distinctly remembered a time when they were in an elevator and each time Olivia made the slightest movement Fitz would unconsciously mirror it. It reminded Mellie of her dad telling her that when hunting she should observe every single move the prey made as to later ensnare and kill it. Needless to say, based on Fitz's behaviour she was quite concerned for Olivia.

"So I was thinking that we start campaigning in Pennsylvania then work our way to Ohio and Michigan," proposed Cyrus confidently.

"That doesn't make sense, it's almost unheard of for those states to go a conservative," rebuked Olivia.

"Well unheard of doesn't mean impossible think about it Liv, these states are filled to the brim with blue-collar workers who feel disenfranchised by NAFTA and the mainstream democratic party. If we can just convince them, that Fitz plans to get their manufacturing jobs back then we could not only penetrate the blue wall but also set a new precedent. By being the first conservatives to utilize the populism that democrats have had a monopoly on since FDR," finished Cyrus slightly out of breath. He quickly took a sip out of the fruit infused water canteen that James had prepared for him.

Though Olivia hated to be wrong she had to admit that Cyrus had a point. If Fitz could effectively energize the working class then his approval numbers with poor whites (his weakest demographic) would drastically increase. He would just need to be charismatic, persuasive, and passionate all characteristics that seemed to embody Fitzgerald Grant the III.

'Maybe that's how he's able to convince people he's so harmless,' Olivia thought grimly. At first, she had considered Fitz's behaviour towards her friendly albeit to a slightly inappropriate extent. Though over the last couple of months she had seen his carefully constructed facade diminish when he was with her. His startling ability to keep his dark nature concealed under an amiable countenance frightened her. Fitz's hand had progressively inched closer to her crotch, and he now lightly stroked over the front of her cotton panties.

"I think that's a brilliant plan, we should discuss how we're going to execute it tomorrow," Fitz piped up with a note of finality in his voice. He then proceeded to get up and walk out of the room.

* * *

"Well I guess that's it for today folks," sighed Cyrus as he erased the white board. While Cyrus greatly admired Fitz, at times he showed him such callous disregard that he wondered why he even bothered with him instead of pursuing his own political career. Then he remembered that he didn't have the looks nor the spouse to clinch an election. Thus, the greatest achievement that Cyrus could obtain was being able to live vicariously through Fitz by influencing his decisions.

As everyone was leaving the room, Mellie gently grabbed Olivia's hand and apprehended her. Once everyone had left, she turned to the young woman with a sympathetic look on her face.

"I know how Fitz treats you and I'm genuinely sorry that I can't do anything about it," Mellie admitted with a torn look on her face.

Olivia looked at her in alarm and attempted to defend herself, but Mellie held up her hand to silence her.

"You don't have to deny it I've seen the way he looks at you, and I know you're not reciprocating. I'm just going to say this once. As much as it crushes me as a woman and his wife to tell you this, he will not stop until he gets what he wants. Fitzgerald was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and this twisted conception that he was entitled to anything he desired. Dear, regardless of how many times you deny him, it would only increase his lust for you. Olivia I know I've only known you for less than a year but I think that it's in your best interests to leave this campaign as soon as possible and book a ticket back to New York. If Cyrus becomes suspicious tell him that you couldn't toss up that six figure salary at Goldman Sachs. Whatever, the reason pack your bags as soon as possible and leave the hotel as discreetly as you can," compelled Mellie.

"Mellie I don't know what to say," said Olivia shell-shocked.

"You don't have to say anything dear just get out while you still can," replied the astute brunette.

"Thank-you, I'll book a ticket as soon as I can. Also, I know a man named Leo Bergen a litigator in DC, who would love the chance to run a presidential campaign. I'll send his contact info to you, as soon as I land in New York," responded Olivia as she dashed out of the room. Mellie soon followed her and the two ladies took the elevator up to their floor.

However, what they didn't know is that Fitz had been privy to their entire conversation.

Olivia packed her suitcase with fierce rapidity. She folded all of her clothes, then compiled her toiletries into a smaller compartment. Then, she contacted Huck and asked him to book her a flight for the earliest trip to Manhattan. After she ended the call she proceeded to scribble a quick note to Cyrus, explaining why she left and that she was terribly disappointed that she wouldn't get to see the campaign to the end. She finished it off by wishing the team luck, took a shower, and grabbed her bags. Olivia turned off the light to her room and opened the door. As she shut the door, a deep baritone voice startled her out of her reverie.

"Going somewhere?"

 **AN: Hey! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Please review and tell me what you thought. I only have a vague idea of where I'm going with this, so I'm definitely open to your ideas:)**

 **Tumblr: theliberalshill**

 **-LiberalShill**


	2. The Escape

**Disclaimer: I don't own Scandal**

 **AN: Thank you so much to everyone who commented, favorited, or followed this story. I'm so happy you like it.**

* * *

 **"All extremes of feeling are allied with madness." - Virginia Woolf.**

* * *

"Going somewhere?"

Olivia counted to ten in her head and slowly turned around to face the man of her nightmares. There he stood right in front of her with a smirk on his face and tightly controlled rage in his eyes.

'I can do this I won't let him intimidate me,' Olivia repeated this mantra to herself an innumerable amount of times, before clearing her throat. She then assumed a confident demeanor.

"I'm leaving the campaign and going back to New York. I think I've served my purpose here as we've made great strides in terms of your palatability. Also, Governor some of your actions toward me could be considered sexual assault and while I'm not pressing charges, I think you'd prefer for me to leave before I change my mind," she tepidly threatened.

Olivia knew what she had threatened was merely tongue and cheek. Although she wanted to press charges against him for sexual assault and harassment, she knew that he had more wealth and political influence than she could stand a chance against. She would be labeled an opportunistic whore by the media and the reputation she had built for herself would deteriorate. In this case, her rationality overrode her innate sense of justice.

Fitz regarded her with humour in his eyes, he didn't know what amused him more her accusation of sexual assault or the preposterous idea that she was going to leave him. He had to give her some credit for this false display of courage though, it was endearing.

Instead of responding to her Fitz slowly sauntered towards Olivia and grinned as she squirmed backwards in fear. Olivia quickly spotted a nearby stairwell and grabbed her luggage then made a lunge for it. But just before her hand could clasp the door handle a strong pair of arms encircled her waist.

"Let me go!" she cried as she thrashed around in Fitz's arms struggling to escape. Her suitcase now lay astray and the contents of her purse spilled on the ground.

"Shh, calm down _ma petite bichette_ it's alright," Fitz gently cooed in her ear as he stroked her hair and tasted her plump red lips. He then took his hand and lovingly fondle her left breast. Olivia eventually stopped fighting knowing that it was futile. As her cries subsided he slowly lifted her face to meet his. He was stunned as he gazed upon her face when he realized that this was the most alluring that he had ever seen her.

The sight of her beautiful tear-stricken face twisted in a grimace of pain stirred in him an emotion akin to euphoria. While the petulant obstinence hidden behind her doe eyes simultaneously angered and aroused him. He was certain that this was one of the most sensual experience's he had ever had with a woman.

Using his distraction to her advantage Olivia quickly devised an exit plan in her head. She lifted her right arm and clumsily swung it into Fitz's skull. When he released her, startled, she took this chance and ran as fast she could down the stairwell without regard for her belongings.

Although momentarily stunned Fitz quickly recovered his bearings. His hand instinctively went to his head but quickly fell when he realized that she hadn't left any extensive damage. As he stood up Fitz suddenly began to laugh raucously. It seemed that Miss Pope certainly provided more of a challenge than he had anticipated, but this only enticed him more. Smirking, he deftly retrieved his phone out of his back pocket and dialed Tom, who answered speedily.

"How can I help you sir?" Tom dutifully inquired.

"Make sure that Miss Pope doesn't leave the hotel," he commanded of Tom. He hung up and raked his hand through his curls. Although slightly perplexed by this plan Tom contacted the other agents and told them to ensure that Olivia didn't leave the premises.

"Oh Miss Pope you think you've gotten away, think again" he muttered quietly to himself with a deranged smirk on his face.

He trotted back to his room to have a little talk with his recalcitrant wife about interfering in his personal endeavors.

* * *

Adrenaline pumped through Olivia's veins as she galloped down the stairs, running as though the devil were on her back. Which in her case wasn't far from the truth. In her anxiety-addled mind, she had completely forgotten that she left her suitcase and bag upstairs and it didn't even occur to her to see if Fitz was still following her.

As she approached the last set of steps toward the lobby, a bout of lethargy overcame her and she had to take a break. She quickly glanced behind and sighed when she realized that Fitz was nowhere in sight. This brief reprieve allowed to her to analyze the events that occurred tonight. Fitz had shown up in front of her hotel room so he must have known that she was going to run away. Olivia deduced that he had probably heard Mellie advising her to leave. Though she now understood Fitz's actions up to a point, there was still the question of why he wasn't following her.

'He has to be planning something else, but what could it be?' she asked herself perplexed. However, she told herself that regardless of what he was planning she had to keep moving. Suddenly, Olivia remembered that she had left her luggage up on the tenth floor and let out a weary sigh.

She pulled out her phone and asked Kelvin, one of the aides if he would bring her suitcase and purse one flight of stairs before the lobby. She knew he had a crush on her and used this to her advantage. When he was on her level she thanked him profusely, called a cab, and proceeded towards the lobby.

When she got to the lobby she was surprised to see security guards around the perimeter of the floor. They all appeared to be regarding at her with surreptitious looks that to the average person would seem almost imperceptible, but in her heightened sense of paranoia disturbed her.

As Olivia took tentative steps towards the entrance of the hotel, a burly man with blond hair and a stern expression moved towards her. If she remembered correctly his name was Tom.

"Ma'am we can't allow you to leave the premises," he stated.

"Excuse me sir but your job isn't to monitor people's movements in and out of the hotel, it's to protect the governor." She folded her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow daring him to challenge her reasoning.

Tom swallowed his anger at her rebellious tone (he always hated when women talked back to him) and composed his face in a mask of stoicism.

"Ms. Pope we have direct commands from governor Grant himself to do anything we can to ensure that you don't leave this hotel. If you want to make things more difficult for yourself, by all means, do so. Just know that if you attempt to get any closer to that door I have no qualms about using force to restrain you." He grinned smugly at the defeated expression on her face.

Olivia glanced around the room and didn't see anyone else in the lobby except for the guards, not even a concierge or a clerk.

Sighing she fell onto one of the couches and distraughtly sobbed to herself as she contemplated her next move.

* * *

Mellie Grant always considered herself a headstrong independent woman. She grew up on the backdrop of the feminist movement and the sexual revolution of the 1970s. Also despite descending from a rather conservative southern household whose blood was as blue as the Mayflower, she had learned to shoot a gun and run with the big boys at a young age. She graduated top of her class at Harvard and went on to have a successful legal career.

However, this all changed when her father coerced her into marrying Fitzgerald Grant the third. He had threatened to take away her inheritance, make her a persona non grata and keep her from ascending within the legal community.

The first months of marriage to Fitz weren't so terrible. He seemed to respect her boundaries and the fact that she didn't want to give up her career. But as time went on he gradually began to demand that she give up her job at an elite law firm to become a stay at home wife. Fitz was also more passionate in their sex life in an attempt to impregnate her. However, they soon discovered that Mellie was unable to conceive. Angered by her infertility Fitz began to distance himself from her and instead immersed himself in his executive work.

The day she mustered up the courage to tell him that his father had raped her Fitz could barely conjure up an expression of sympathy. He instead looked at her with cold dead eyes and said, "Well that shouldn't matter seeing as your eggs are useless anyway."

It was the only time she allowed him the pleasure of her crying.

Presently, she looked up to meet her husband's gaze head on despite the look of utter contempt on his face. She rose an eyebrow expectantly.

"Don't give me that look Mellie you know what you tried to do!", yelled Fitz as his fists shook uncontrollably.

Mellie blinked her eyes with pretend confusion.

"Okay if that's the game you want to play I'll spell it out for you. You went behind my back and told Olivia to leave. Need I remind you who's in control in this relationship?", he finished angrily.

Mellie pursed her lips and responded to him in a calm voice.

"I was trying to give that poor girl an out before it's too late. You and I both know that you would have ruined her. Fitz just leave her be there are plenty like her if you're into the exotic type."

While she did intent to provoke her husband, her voice carried a pleading lilt. She didn't know why she was so hellbent on protecting Olivia, perhaps it was that the young woman reminded her so much of herself before marrying Fitz. While Mellie knew that there was no chance that she would ever get to return to her optimal form, there was still hope for Olivia.

Fitz pinched the bridge of his nose and straightened his back rigidly. He then crouched down and got close to her ear.

He said the next words in a disconcertingly low voice.

"If you ever attempt to get between Olivia and me again, I will destroy you. I will bankrupt your entire family and make sure that there's not a _goddamn_ cent left to your name." He smiled slightly as he felt her breathing become erratic and her loud gulp. Mellie's blood rang in her ears as she knew that he meant what he said.

"Am I understood?" he said.

"Yes." She stared straight ahead with her arms folded in her lap.

And he knew she wouldn't interfere again.

* * *

Olivia thought she heard someone calling her name. She squinted her eyes and sat up with a start when she saw the silhouette of Cyrus. He was looking down at her with concerned and perplexed eyes.

"Liv what are you doing out here at midnight?", he inquired checking his watch.

Midnight! It was midnight already, thought Olivia disbelievingly. As she looked around her she still saw the agents but they appeared to be more evenly dispersed and resumed the appearance of normalcy.

"Cyrus." She swallowed to coat her dry throat. "Where are you coming from?"

"James and I just got back from a bar about two blocks from here. It was terrible both the food and the music. Anyway, why are your clothes out here?", he asked.

Olivia felt a lump form in her throat at the unavoidable conversation she was bound to have with him at some point. She sat up straight and turned to Cyrus with a resigned expression on her face.

"I've decided to leave the campaign because I got an offer from Goldman Sachs to work as a senior legal advisor. I was planning to tell you, but they wanted me to accept the position as soon as possible and be in Manhattan by tomorrow." Olivia knew that she had partially lied, but Goldman Sachs truly did offer her a job. She just wasn't sure she would take it, until her conversation with Mellie.

Cyrus looked at her with a somber yet understanding look on his face. If there's any reason to stop working for a presidential campaign, getting a job at Goldman Sachs was one of them. He bent down and pulled Olivia into his arms to embrace her.

"Well sweetie, I'm disappointed to know that you're leaving but I sure understand why. I'm going to miss you, it was nice working next to my two best students. I'll check you out in the morning."

Cyrus then affectionately kissed her on the head, grabbed her bags, and lead her out the door. Surprisingly, the guards let her through and the taxi driver she had called for over an hour ago was still there, albeit asleep.

"Thank you, Cyrus, I'm going to miss you too. Say goodbye to everyone for me" she said with a sad smile on her face. She took her bags from Cyrus, waved goodbye, and trotted towards the taxi.

Suddenly, she got a text from an anonymous number telling her to check her email. She worriedly bit her lip and carefully checked her email. Her mouth dropped open in complete bemusement.

Apparently, Goldman Sachs had offered the senior advisory role to someone else. They apologized profusely and said that they just felt that they had more qualified applicants, even though they did intend to diversify their team by hiring her. When she looked down to see who got the position instead it was her friend Leo Bergen. Tears ran down Olivia's face in immense disappointment.

But when she got the next text she completely broke down. It read, 'Look up'. As she looked up she was truly stunned to her core. There was Fitz on the balcony of what was previously her room, smirking and drinking a glass of scotch.

Olivia sank to the ground and wept so loudly that she thought the entire hotel could hear her from outside.

 **AN: Thanks for reading please review and tell me what you thought. Have a great week!**

 **P.S. ma petite bichette means my little doe in french**

 **Follow me on tumblr:** **theliberalshill**

 **-LiberalShill**


	3. The Plan

**AN: This chapter may be confusing and at times require you to suspend your disbelief. Thanks :)**

* * *

 **"...an obsession is a way for damaged people to damage themselves more" - Mark Barrowcliffe.**

* * *

As Olivia rocked herself back and forth on the ground, she started to hum. In times of turmoil, she always reverted back to this childhood habit of hers. Her mother used to hum to her when she had nightmares. It became her way of coping with incredibly stressful situations. However, while the humming usually had a calming effect this time it didn't.

Obviously, she had underestimated Fitzgerald's infatuation with her by a large margin. That much was evident. He was absolutely hell bent on possessing her and it seemed that her attempts to dissuade him only fed his lust. If he had the power to get one of the most premier investment bank's in the world to rescind an offer than perhaps she had miscalculated his influence.

'But what is to be done about it?' she asked herself. As she sifted through her thoughts to formulate a plan, Olivia remembered a passage from _The Art of War_ by Sun Tzu a book her father had made her read when she was a teenager.

"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle" - Sun Tzu.

'That's it!' she thought to herself. She had mistakenly believed that her persistence in rejecting him would be enough to get Fitz's interest to wane. For that seemed perfectly rational from her perspective. However, she had never bothered to ask herself why he was so fixated on her specifically in the first place or what his motivations were. That's why despite her temporary success in evading him he quickly recovered.

A semblance of a smile began to dance on Olivia's lips as she finally realised what she was going to do. While Olivia had gotten to know Fitz as a candidate, she knew stunningly little about Fitz as a person. This was going to have to change if she wanted to win the proverbial war. She texted Huck and told him to cancel her ticket.

Olivia was also going to do her best to get close to him without sacrificing her self-respect.

One thing was for sure, she was going to call her dad first thing in the morning and thank him for forcing her to read that book. She had always considered it completely and utterly useless up until this point. She made a mental note to check the Smithsonian's hours before going to sleep tonight.

She was so lost in her own mind that she didn't hear the threatening thud of footsteps against the cold cement. Suddenly she heard the sound of someone clearing their throat and froze.

Fitz was staring down at her with a triumphant expression on his face and his arms folded over his chest. He lowered himself to the ground to look directly into her eyes.

"Are you done trying to defy me?" He asked in a deep measured tone.

Olivia biting her lip, looked up and softly muttered, "Yes."

As soon as the words left her lips a large grin spread across Fitz's face. He stood up, lifted Olivia into his arms and kissed her on the head. He knew she would see it his way.

"Good I was hoping you would come to that conclusion. As much as it may seem like it I really don't enjoy fighting with you, Olivia."

He told the cab driver to leave and placed Olivia's bags on his shoulder while carrying her in his arms.

As they went back into the hotel and entered the elevator, she noticed that Fitz had pushed the button for the twelfth level as opposed to where everyone else's rooms were. She looked at him perplexed.

"I reserved a master suite for us to ensure privacy. It'll give us plenty of space to discuss the details of our relationship. Don't look so worried you'll be fine." He said as he caressed her cheek.

Olivia bit back a gulp as she imagined what could possibly happen to her in a room in which they were completely isolated. The implications left an unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Once they reached the twelfth floor Fitz readjusted her bags and walked towards the suite. He looked at the dried tears on his little doe's face and felt a pang of guilt. Admittedly, while he derived a euphoric feeling from seeing her in pain for some inexplicable reason he didn't want to completely crush her spirit.

They had finally gotten to the master suite. He opened the door to the room and took Olivia's hand and luggage. Her eyebrows rose to the top of her head as she entered the room.

The walls were a grey colour accented by a warm blue tint. While the carpet and curtains were clearly made from fine materials. The furniture was constructed of dark wood and looked aged, yet expensive. There were two bathrooms which both contained a hot tub and a sauna upon further inspection. The room was spacious and luxuriant.

"Isn't this a bit too expensive?", Olivia asked timidly. After the upcoming ball, they were leaving the hotel the next morning. It seemed like a waste of money to pay for the suite.

Fitz picked her up, sat her on his lap on the couch, and then began to pepper kisses across her face. Olivia leaned backwards but soon remembered her plan and gave in.

"Nothing's too much for my little doe." He had a glazed look in his eyes. She was right the room was quite pricey but she didn't need to concern herself with such matters.

Olivia turned her head to the side in disgust. She hated when he called her that, it always made her feel like she was being hunted.

"How did you do it?" Olivia finally mustered up the courage to ask.

"Do what little one?" He stroked her face genuinely perplexed as to what she was referring to. He was so absorbed in her presence that he had temporarily forgotten what had transpired tonight.

"I-I mean y-you getting Goldman Sachs to rescind my job offer," Olivia stammered. She couldn't help but stutter when he was looking at her with such a penetrating gaze.

"I have associates in high positions in the company," he shrugged mysteriously. It was actually a fairly simple process. Blankfein and he were close friends at Harvard. He had called in a favour and asked him to not hire Olivia. Presuming that he had a rational reason for this request, Lloyd had refrained from questioning him and conceded to his demand. Fitz had just recommended Bergen for the job to be spiteful.

"How could you do this to me?" she whispered. Her lower lip started quivering and she bit it in an attempt to control her tears.

She lifted herself off his lap and walked away to put some distance between the two of them. Fitz also got up and started to move towards her. Olivia shrank away in fear and eventually backed into a wall. Fitz then placed both of his hands on either side of her effectively caging her in. She had no way to escape.

"This is all your fault, little doe." He got impossibly close to her face and she could feel the hairs on her arms prickle in response to his nearness. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"If you hadn't tried to run away from me, none of this would have happened. But alas for some strange reason you decided to defy me. At first, I found it quite amusing but at a certain point my dear the bravery act becomes irritating." When she tried to move away, he gripped her face and slammed his pelvis against hers. Her wince of pain was music to his ears. He wondered if he could get her to make another sound like that, perhaps a louder one.

Fitz smashed his lips against hers and growled when she attempted to move her head to the side. He yanked her hair back and smirked when he heard her yelp.

'Still not good enough' he thought.

Then he proceeded to kiss down the column of her throat and sink his teeth into her neck, leaving a mark. _His mark._ He lapped up the blood from her neck and it left a metallic though oddly pleasant taste on the tip of his tongue. He quite liked it. As Olivia's loud cries filled the room, he smiled against her neck. Now that was the sound he was looking for.

"What have I ever done to you?" Olivia whimpered in exasperation. She was tired of this ceaseless game of cat and mouse.

'She must be kidding', thought Fitz, to him it seemed abundantly clear what she had done to him.

Fitz's blood covered lips pursed up in annoyance when he realized she really didn't know.

"You really don't know do you?" He sighed when she shook her head. It was times like this when her honest nature genuinely disgusted him.

"Come on little doe, think." The patronising tone in his voice irritated her. She tried to think back but nothing came up. She stared up at him blankly.

His facade briefly dropped and he looked at her with hurt in his eyes, but he soon covered it up by assuming a disinterested expression.

He backed away from her and went to the minibar to pour himself a glass of scotch. It was a potent distraction and the numbing effects of the alcohol dulled the pain of Olivia's infuriating obliviousness. The little minx had crept into his life so unexpectedly, consumed his every thought, and yet had the audacity to pretend that it all meant nothing. It was positively unbelievable, not to mention embarrassing.

"Well, it's been a riveting night but in a few hours it'll be dawn and I'd like to at least get some rest before the luncheon tomorrow. There's a separate bed in the room across from the master one that you can sleep in. We'll finish this conversation in the morning. Goodnight." He gave her a forced smirk and made his way to his room.

"Fitz-" she tried to say, but he slammed the door shut before she could finish her sentence.

* * *

Olivia awoke to the sun blaring through her window. She squinted her eyes and sat up unsure of where she was. Instinctively her hand fell to her neck where she felt a scar and winced. She shuddered as the events of last night come to memory.

"It doesn't hurt too much does it?"

Startled, she turned her head to the side and saw Fitz leaning against a wall watching her.

Fitz had tried to sleep after their terse encounter, but she plagued his thoughts. So he decided to go into her room and watch her sleep instead. He loved the pitiful little whimpers she gave when she was having a nightmare. Especially when the nightmare got particularly gruesome and she clutched onto the sheets in fear. Whenever that happened he sincerely hoped that it was about him.

Fitz crossed his arms and walked up to her to admire his handiwork. He smirked upon seeing that the scar he had left still shown prominently on her neck. She'd think twice before running away from him again. He moved closer to stand over her on the bed. As he surveyed her body, Olivia was never more thankful than now that she wore thick pyjamas. She attempted to cross her arms over her chest as a precautionary measure.

"Don't ever hide yourself from me" he said pulling her arms apart and placing his knees on either side of her on the bed. He leaned forward to kiss her but Olivia ducked away, still disgusted with his behaviour from last night.

Fitz shook his head and said, "You just love to make things more difficult for yourself don't you." He wrapped his arms around her waist and chuckled when she attempted to remove them.

"Fitz please let go of me, we have a luncheon to attend with your donors at noon," she gently coaxed. This proved futile because he pushed her down on the bed and pressed a hard kiss to her mouth. When she pushed against his shoulder he bit her lip, her mouth popped open in pain and he used this opportunity slip his tongue inside. Fitz gently caressed her sides and spread her legs so he could lie in between them. He tugged on her bottoms and she grabbed the front of his shirt.

"Please don't!" she begged with a note of panic in her voice. This seemed to work as he finally stopped.

"Fine, we'll finish this later" he huffed backing away from her. Olivia let out a sigh, relieved. She nodded her head in acquiescence assuming he meant just kissing. She could learn to deal with that over time, as long as it didn't escalate further.

"I still need to take a shower before the luncheon," she said getting up to stretch. Fitz didn't hear her, transfixed by the way the sun reflected off of her skin. He rubbed his hands up and down her sides reverentially, unconscious that he was even doing it.

"Fitz?" she asked, snapping him out of his daze. He shook his head and stepped away from her to compose himself. Fitz clenched his fists. Damnit! He had let her get the best of him again.

"I think it's best that we go downstairs separately for appearance sake." She wrapped her hands around her body in a comforting manner and inched closer to the bathroom.

"I'll see you down there." He closed the door harshly making Olivia wonder what his problem was. She dismissed the thought and disrobed then went to take a shower.

As the hot beams of water hit Olivia's body, she contemplated what their relationship would entail. She knew he desired her but he didn't seem to want a mistress. In fact, it seemed that he was driven by this singular need to possess her that didn't encompass any specifics. This vexed Olivia because it made it more difficult to understand his intent with her. Realising she had been in there for quite some time Olivia hastily got out and dried off.

When she looked in the mirror she saw the hickey that Fitz had left and gasped. It was a large bluish purple spot that would be difficult to cover up. After about five minutes she was finally able to conceal it and smiled. She finished applying the rest of her makeup and got dressed. She took a deep breath and made her way downstairs.

* * *

"Grant, it's great to see you again man," said John Rubinstein as they shook hands. He was a republican senator from New Jersey who had been one of Fitz's most ardent supporters since his gubernatorial run.

"Great to see you too John, I'm glad you could make it," greeted Fitz. The men sat down and discussed the campaign as they waited for everyone to be seated. Mellie and Anna (John's wife) took their respective places by their spouses and made small talk. The luncheon was reserved for Fitz's biggest donors. Everyone was there except for Olivia.

"Cyrus where's Liv?" asked James.

"James, Olivia is-"

"Right here," said Olivia taking a seat next to Cyrus across from senator Rubinstein. She was dressed in a cream coloured blouse and black slacks with minimal makeup.

Cyrus, deeply surprised, said "Liv I thought Goldman Sachs required you to be in Manhattan by today. I checked you out of your room."

"They rescinded the offer last minute and it's okay I'll get another room," Olivia said quickly while avoiding eye contact. Just as Cyrus was about to question her, Fitz launched into a speech thanking his supporters and making promises to uphold their wishes. They ate lunch and after that, the most prominent individuals gave speeches pertaining to their organizations and interests.

Throughout the duration of the luncheon, James noticed the fleeting lust-filled glances that Fitz would send Olivia. He dismissed this as a trick of the light until he saw Olivia shudder and her hands quiver as she ate. Interesting.

The luncheon eventually came to an end and Fitz said that he hoped they would return a few hours later for the ball. As the guests filed out his practiced smile fell from his face and he tapped his foot impatiently. He was awaiting a call from a very important individual. He felt a vibrating noise in his pocket so he retrieved his phone and made his way to a more secluded location.

Likewise, Olivia discreetly walked into an empty conference room. She dialed Huck's number and tried to calm her nerves as she waited for a reply.

"Hey, Liv what's wrong?"

Olivia pressed her lips together to hide a smile. He knew her so well.

"Governor Grant has become obsessed with me," she said bluntly. She knew that'd be a lot to take in but had no time for pleasantries.

Huck was flabbergasted. "Wait what do you mean he's obsessed with you?"

Olivia then explained that Fitz had continuously pursued her over the few months that they had known each other. How each time she rejected him, he would become increasingly angry and emboldened. How he had caused her to lose her job offer. But what really enraged Huck was when she told him that Fitz touched her against her will.

"If I ever meet Fitz I'll throttle him. What can I do for you Liv?"

"I need you to dig up every piece of information you can about him from childhood onward, the more clandestine the better. I'll be doing the same just in a slightly different manner. After you report your findings we'll determine a course of action."

"You got it. Hey, Liv?"

"Yes," she responded.

"Stay safe and call me if you need anything."

"Will do. Bye Huck."

After the call ended Olivia felt a surge of victory course through her veins. She could win this battle. All it required was craftiness and deliberation, two skills that she excelled at. With her and Huck's combined talents she could certainly mount a formidable opposition against Fitz.

'Let the games begin' thought Olivia with a smirk on her face as she made her out of the conference room to call her father.

James and Cyrus were having martinis at the hotel's bar. Cyrus voiced his concerns about Olivia to James and was relieved to know that he wasn't the only one who had noticed her strange behaviour. Cyrus told James that Olivia said that Goldman Sachs had unexpectedly rescinded her job offer, but Cyrus thought this explanation inadequate. He couldn't fathom why the company would do such as thing.

When he said that he was going to confront Olivia about it, James interceded. He suggested that he be the one to talk to Olivia instead because of he had a more sympathetic disposition. Also, he knew that Cyrus hadn't seen Olivia's reaction to Fitz at the luncheon, and preferred to talk with her personally before drawing conclusions. For some reason, James had a feeling that her losing her job offer and her unease around Fitz were somehow connected. He just wasn't sure how yet.

"Alright, I'm going to go talk to Olivia. I'll meet you in our room later." James and Cyrus finished their drinks and left the bar.

"Great. Have you seen Fitz anywhere?"

"No, he left really quickly after the luncheon."

"I need to talk to him because we still haven't devised a foolproof plan to target the rustbelt states."

"I'll call you if I see him," said James as he walked away in search of Olivia.

Cyrus waved goodbye and went to go find Fitz. He had to be around there somewhere.

* * *

Olivia made her way outside to call her father. Though they had become incredibly close since the death of her mother, she hadn't talked to him in three months. Mainly due to the consuming nature of both of their jobs. He picked up on the second ring.

"Olivia, is this you?" He asked in disbelieve.

"Yes Daddy it's me."

"How have you been sweetheart? I haven't talked to you in forever it seems."

"I'm fine Daddy. I've just been busy on the campaign trail."

"How has it been going?"

"It's been great. Governor Grant's approval ratings have risen over 50% and we now have an advantage over Reston," said Olivia with false enthusiasm in her voice. She couldn't possibly tell her father how she really felt.

"That's wonderful. If anyone had the ability to turn Grant's campaign around, it was you sweetheart." The prideful tone in his voice filled Olivia with happiness.

"Daddy this may seem a bit random but thanks for making me read _The Art of War._ It's actually come in handy in recent months."

"How so?"

"Well you know just in navigating the predatory world of politics," she said being purposefully vague. Although Olivia felt guilty about keeping secrets from her father she thought it better to not involve him.

"I'm glad you're finally enjoying it. I can still remember when you grumbled and moaned to me about making you read it," he teased.

"Well excuse me for being a teenager who would have preferred to be watching _Buffy_ instead of entertaining the musings of ancient Chinese philosophers."

"I guess I can see your point," said Rowan chuckling.

Olivia laughed. She missed her father dearly. He always knew how to uplift her spirits.

Olivia saw that it was beginning to get darker and remembered that the ball started in two hours.

"Daddy I have to go. We're having a ball to celebrate Fitz's success thus far, and it starts soon."

"Alright, sweetheart just don't wait another three months to call your old man."

"Okay bye daddy."

"Bye Olivia, stay safe and keep your head up."

"I'll try," she said then ended the call. She smiled remembering that Huck had told her something to the same effect. Though these men differed in many important respects, they were all united by their care for her.

Olivia turned around and started to walk back to the hotel, but saw James coming towards her.

"James, what are you doing out here? I thought you'd and Cyrus be inside getting ready for the ball. Are you looking for somebody?"

"Actually, Olivia I was looking for you."

Olivia blinked in confusion and James touched her shoulder reassuringly.

"It's nothing serious. I just wanted to know if anything or anyone for that matter has been bothering you lately."

Olivia started to panic. He knew, but how could he? He must have seen something earlier. Nevertheless, Olivia kept her face blank and pretended that nothing was wrong.

"No James I'm great. No one's been bothering me. Is there any particular reason you asked?"

James decided that it was best to just tell her what he observed outright.

"At the luncheon, I saw Fitz staring at you in a very inappropriate manner. It made me wonder if there was anything going on between the two of you."

"Are you implying something?" asked Olivia determining that it was best to take the defensive route.

"Of course not Olivia. I just wanted you to know that you can tell me anything and I'll uphold your privacy to the highest degree."

"Thank-you, James. I'll keep that in mind." She felt slightly bad about getting defensive when he was only trying to help.

"You're welcome. We're family now and have to protect each other."

"Definitely. Come on let's go back inside it's getting late and we have a ball to attend."

They walked back inside together and went to their respective rooms to get ready, each with a lot on their minds.

Meanwhile, Cyrus Beene was about to rip his hair out. He had searched for what seemed like an eternity trying to find Fitz to no avail.

As he made his way down the hall he heard Fitz's loud booming voice coming out of one of the conference rooms.

"What do you mean it'd be too hard to break? You do realise she lied about that right?"

Cyrus quietly walked to the door and put his ear against it. He knew it was wrong to eavesdrop but couldn't help it.

"If you are so incompetent that you can't find and exploit loopholes in a document that's full of them then maybe I need to hire someone else."

'Who could he possibly be talking to?' thought Cyrus as listened to Fitz berate someone on the phone.

"I don't want to hear anymore excuses Roberts. If you can't get me the results I need by Monday, you're fired. Am I clear?"

"I hope that you understand it's in your best interests to listen to my instructions. I can be very vengeful when I don't get what I want," Fitz threatened as he hung up the phone.

Hearing footsteps approach the door Cyrus turned around and pretended to be walking towards the lobby.

"Cyrus, what are you doing out here?"

"Oh I was just coming from the gym," he said struggling to come up with an excuse.

Fitz looked at him suspiciously. "But you're wearing a suit."

"Did I say gym? I meant bar."

"The bar is on the opposite side of the hotel. Cy, are you feeling okay buddy?" Fitz looked at him like he was questioning his sanity.

"I'm great, never been better in fact," said Cyrus looking for an escape.

Fitz regarded him incredulously and was about to say something.

Cyrus checked his watch and said "Gee, will you look at the time. The ball starts in little over an hour and I still haven't showered yet. I'd better get going, see you later." Cyrus practically ran away from him and made a mad dash for the stairs.

Fitz thought his behaviour was strange but dismissed it. After all, his chief of staff was always slightly eccentric.

* * *

The ballroom embodied decadence. The Grecian-style fluted columns were enveloped in white drapery and had scrolls at the bottom. While the glass arched doorway was framed by dark wood with gold trims. The wall was littered with paintings reminiscent of pivotal points in history. At the centre of the room hung a large cut-glass chandelier alight with candles, giving the room an elegant yet mellow glow.

The room was composed of lobbyists, donors, corporatists, and run of the mill politicians. All of whom Fitz would become beholden to if he became president. A fact that he begrudgingly accepted because he disliked the idea of being beholden to anyone. But he needed these people to win so he played the game.

'So this is what the next four years will look like' he thought sipping his wine. He was dressed in a custom fitted Golden Fleece suit from Brooks Brothers. His hair was gelled back except for the errant curl at the front of his head.

"Fitz dear we should dance," suggested Mellie attempting to impress the wife of some senator or another.

"Whatever you desire dear," he responded playing the role of the doting husband. Mellie grabbed Fitz's hand and they followed the other couple onto the dance floor. They danced the quadrille and went back to their table.

"Excuse me I have to use the powder room," Mellie said slightly flustered after their dance.

Mellie got up from the table and made her way towards the lady's room to refresh herself. She looked in the mirror and saw that she was slightly blotchy. She pulled out her foundation and reapplied her makeup.

'Perfect' she thought and turned to the door to leave.

She opened the door and came face to face with Olivia. The moment Mellie saw her the makeup bag in her hand fell to the ground.

"Olivia you look amazing," said Mellie in awe.

"Thank-you," said Olivia stepping inside the room to check her makeup.

"My husband's not going to be able to keep his hands off of you," warned Mellie going to stand beside her.

"I know, I'm just hoping he doesn't get too touchy-feely in front of an entire crowd of people."

"No, he wouldn't. He cares about his reputation too much. What did he do to prevent you going to Manhattan?"

"He got someone high up in the company to take my offer away."

"I know I sound like a broken record but I'm truly sorry Olivia. Fitz is uncontrollable when he sees something he wants." She heaved a heavy sigh.

Olivia removed the concealer that hid her scar and bent her head to the side so that Mellie could see it.

"Do you see this scar on my neck?"

Mellie looked closer and said "Yes."

"Last night Fitz kissed me and bit my neck when I resisted him. Then this morning I had to beg him to get off of me or else he would have.." She couldn't finish the sentence.

"You don't have to say anything, I know." Mellie rubbed Olivia's shaking hands to calm her.

Olivia quelled her tears and put on a brave face.

"Well, I'm about to enter the lion's den. Coming?" asked Olivia.

"I'll be out in a bit," replied Mellie.

"Alright see you." Olivia left leaving Mellie alone in the bathroom.

Mellie leaned forward on the counter and tried to suppress her feelings of intense guilt. But try as she may she couldn't quite do so.

She sincerely wanted to help Olivia, but Fitz had already threatened to destroy her the first time she did. She was forced to choose between doing what she felt was right versus what was in her best interest.

A thought suddenly came to her. If she could work with someone else to get help for Olivia than Fitz couldn't put all the blame on her. Therefore, the blow would be less painful.

'Who would be willing to work with me?' she asked herself. Two names immediately came to mind. They were so obvious that Mellie couldn't believe she hadn't thought of them before.

"That's it!" she said loudly, hurrying back to the ballroom.

When Mellie got to the entrance of the room she saw Olivia standing in front of the doorway. She raised her eyebrows at her questioningly.

"I'm too nervous to go in. I feel like I'll be torn apart. I'm used to being in places with a lot of powerful people, but I'm usually in the background. I don't know if I can do this," Olivia confessed.

"Olivia you're a beautiful, intelligent, and immensely talented woman. Don't undermine yourself it's unbecoming dear. Come on take deep breaths. Good job. Are you ready now?"

Olivia took one final deep breath and nodded her head. She slowly walked into the room.

It seemed that as Olivia entered the room a deafening silence came over the crowd. People's eyes began to orient themselves to her almost unconsciously. She swore she saw some people's mouths drop open when they took in her appearance.

A diaphanous black dress with luxurious lace was draped across her petite frame in a way that made her presence seem ephemeral. Her hair was coiffed in an array of tightly coiled ringlets and pinned in an updo. The light from the chandelier emphasized the elegant curves of her face in a way that gave her an ethereal glow. She was simply the most stunning woman in the room and everyone knew it.

When she got closer to the front of the room she spotted Fitz. He looked at her like a ravenous wolf ready her devour her. Thinly veiled lust brewed in his eyes as he assessed her body. He licked his lips and nodded his head in approval.

Olivia made her way to the table and took the seat as far away from Fitz as she possibly could. This landed her next to James and a gentleman by the name of Charles Lyndon, who turned towards her.

"Ma'am may I say that you're one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen in my life."

"Sir that couldn't possibly be true, but thank you for the compliment nevertheless." She shook her head modestly and gave him a polite smile.

"Don't be so humble you're lovely. Would you be willing to take pity on an old man like myself and dance with me?"

"I don't even know your name," she replied.

"Charles Hamilton Lyndon, Governor of New York. Though you, fair lady can just call me Charles."

Olivia had to admit that he was certainly charming. "Well, Charles I would love to dance with you."

Charles took her hand and they got up to dance the next waltz. Both were oblivious to the fact that Fitz was glaring at them.

Mellie quietly motioned with her hand for Cyrus and James to follow her outside. They were confused but still heeded to her request. They huddled in a secluded corner a few feet from the ballroom. Mellie cleared her throat to get their attention.

"What I'm about to say may shock you or baffle you or do both. Just please believe me when I say I know this definitively."

"Mel what are you talking about?" asked Cyrus completely confused.

"Just listen. You and I have both known Fitz for a long time. He has a tendency to get obsessive over certain things. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Mellie where is this going?"

"For Christ's sake, Cyrus just answer the question!"

"Geez calm down woman. Yes, he can get slightly too passionate at times. It's a trait of the Grants."

"So would you find it inconceivable that he may become obsessive over a person?"

"Not entirely no."

"Well, Cyrus he's developed these feelings towards Olivia."

"Mel, are you feeling okay? I'm sure there is a doctor around here somewhere."

"Don't condescend me because you aren't sufficiently observant. I know what I've seen."

"Come on this is ridiculous. James, can you believe what she's saying?"

"Cy I believe her. Remember how we both noticed that Olivia had been acting strange lately?"

"Yeah" he replied.

"I didn't tell you that I had seen Fitz staring at her earlier during lunch. It wasn't innocent staring either and you could tell that she was clearly uncomfortable with it."

"James, Olivia's an attractive woman sometimes men can't help but stare."

"Okay, but what about her losing her job offer at Goldman Sachs?"

"How could those things be connected in the slightest?" Cyrus asked still not connecting the dots.

"Cyrus, Olivia told me in the bathroom that he got someone high up in the company to take her offer away. I know that he and Blankfein used to be friends in college," said Mellie.

The links began to form in Cyrus's head and he started to remember things he had locked away. He remembered the way Fitz looked at Olivia when he thought no one was looking. The way that by the end of each conference he always ended up right beside her. However, what he remembered most clearly was her persistent look of fear. He felt ashamed for not acknowledging it sooner and powerless to do anything about it now.

"I see it now Mellie. Everything is starting to make sense, and it's overwhelming."

"Don't worry I had the same reaction when I first found out."

"I feel like I've failed Olivia. She's like a daughter to me and I didn't notice her being mistreated. I hope she'll forgive me."

"I sure she will Cyrus. Now the question is what should we do about it?"

James had an idea but he didn't know if it would work.

"Who does Fitz despise and fear more than anyone?" James asked.

"Big Jerry" Cyrus and Mellie said in unison.

"What if we were to invite Big Jerry on our next campaign trip?"

"Fitz would never agree to that. His relationship with Big Jerry is very tense," said Cyrus.

"We could call Big Jerry and ask him to meet us at our next campaign stop without Fitz knowing."

"How would we prevent him from calling Fitz?" asked Cyrus.

"We could ask him not to because Fitz wouldn't agree to it."

"Who would bear the brunt of Fitz's wrath and how exactly will this help Olivia?"

"Big Jerry's presence will cause Fitz to revert back to a childlike state in which he'll be desperate to please his father. He'll be so consumed with Jerry that he'll leave Olivia alone and probably not speculate as to our involvement," explained Mellie.

"It could work, but we have to do everything in our power to ensure that Fitz and Big Jerry don't come into contact before they're suppose to," noted Cyrus.

"Who will be the one to call Big Jerry?" asked James.

"I'll do it. He knows me the best," offered Cyrus pulling out his phone. He dialed Big Jerry's number and waited for a response.

"Fitzgerald Grant the second speaking," a deep voice answered.

"Hello Jerry, it's Cyrus."

"What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you'd be willing to join us to campaign in the rustbelt states."

"I think I'd be interested in something like that. Is there any particular reason why you'd ask?"

Cyrus knew this was the perfect time to butter him up.

"While Fitz is a polished politician he's slightly too polished. Whereas you sir have this uncanny ability to connect with all types of people, even the most indigent among us."

Big Jerry was quiet for so long that Cyrus had to make sure he hadn't hung up.

"I certainly see your point Cyrus and I think I'll take you up on your offer. I haven't seen my boy in quite some time. I'll call Fitz to corroborate the details."

"Actually Jerry I think it's better if Fitz doesn't know about it. He'd be reluctant to the idea of you helping him."

"I suppose you're right. I'll call in later for more information."

"Perfect. Please leave a message on the campaign's phone if I can't reach you tonight. I'll answer it early tomorrow morning. My phone's battery is low."

"Alright. I'll check in with you later. Goodbye," he said then hung up.

Cyrus turned to Mellie and James with a self-satisfied look on his face.

"He agreed to it," Cyrus told them.

"This plan just might work," said Mellie optimistically.

They all went back to the ball with slightly lighter hearts.

* * *

"Mind if I cut in Charles?" Olivia turned her head to the side and saw Fitz looking at her and Charles with a forced smile on his face. Despite his friendly expression, she could see his fists balled up tightly by his sides and fire blazing in his azure eyes. He was jealous and barely able to control it. He hated it when other men touched his little doe.

"Of course not Fitz. I've just been telling Olivia stories from our time at boarding school. In fact, I was just about to tell her about that time you got an A- in math and lit that professor's car on-"

Fitz held up his hand to silence him. "That's enough Charles. I think she gets the point." Olivia tried to stifle a giggle at his embarrassment.

Charles let go of her confused as to why Fitz was being so impatient.

"Olivia it was a pleasure dancing with a lady as beautiful as yourself. I hope we're able to do so again sometime in the future," he said flirtatiously. He placed a suggestive kiss on her hand and she blushed.

"As do I" she said demurely. Charles took out a strip of paper and wrote his number on it. Fitz was a hare's length from exploding. His hands were shaking and his ears were getting redder by the second.

Charles was about to give her his number when Fitz yanked Olivia to him. He clasped her tiny waist in a rather possessive grip and placed his hand on the small of her back. He smirked knowing that another song was about to begin and Charles wouldn't have much longer to talk with her.

"Nice talking to you Charles. Enjoy the hors d'oeuvres" said Fitz. His friend walked dejectedly to the bar.

Olivia lightly put her hand on his shoulder to dance though discreetly tried to put some distance between them. Noticing what she was doing Fitz pulled her forward so that he could feel her soft breasts against his chest. She shivered when she felt his hot breath on her neck as he towered over her. He grabbed her left hand and waited for the music to start.

Once the music began they started to move in a slow deliberate pace that contrasted with the fast beating of Olivia's heart.

As much as she loathed to admit it, Fitz was a great dancer. Each of his moves was precise and even the most intricate ones were excellently executed. When the tempo of the music increased, the speed of Fitz's moves did too.

Olivia felt a slight sweat form on her neck as she tried to keep up with him. She saw him smile almost as if he knew he was frazzling her. Fitz's eyes were locked onto hers the entire time causing her breathing to become ragged and short. Thankfully, the orchestra was almost done playing.

Fitz dipped her downward and when he pulled her back up she swore he was about to kiss her. Instead put his mouth a centimetre from her ear.

"Soon little doe you'll be mine for all the world to see," he whispered ominously.

Olivia could feel her throat restrict and felt physically ill. She couldn't possibly decipher what he meant.

She jumped upon hearing a loud noise and then realized people were clapping for them. A crowd had formed around the two and looked upon them with blinding smiles. They must have mistaken her flushed face as a sign of embarrassment and not horror.

Suddenly, an aide who was slightly out of breath pushed through the crowd and tapped Fitz's shoulder.

Fitz's turned his head in agitation and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Sorry to bother you governor, but someone left a private message on the phone and I assumed it was for you."

"This better be important," grumbled Fitz following the aide outside. Olivia went back to the table to compose herself. Try as she may she couldn't suppress the feeling that something bad was about to happen.

Half an hour later, the same aide burst through the door and started calling for those involved in the campaign to follow him.

"Governor Grant has demanded everyone's attendance in our main conference room," the aide said.

Everyone got up and went to the conference room. When Olivia entered the first thing she noticed was that Fitz's back was turned away from their view. Also that Mellie, Cyrus, and James all seemed to be looking downwards.

Fitz turned around and surveyed everyone in the room. He had a stony cold look on his countenance and his eyes reflected intense fury. Instead of speaking he pressed play on the messaging button of the phone.

 _This is Fitzgerald Grant the Second and I'm leaving a message for Cyrus Beene. I have a few business endeavors to attend to in these upcoming days, but I think I could leave by next Monday and meet you all in whatever state you're going to next. If you could email the logistical details to my secretary that'd be wonderful. Her name is Madeleine Carles and her email is…_

Fitz stopped the recording and turned to Cyrus with a contemptuous expression on his face.

"Care to explain yourself?"

 **AN: I hoped you liked the chapter. Please review and tell me what you thought.**

 **Tumblr: theliberalshill**

 **-LiberalShill**


	4. Author's Note

**Hey guys! I know that I haven't updated Obsidian in quite a few months, and I want you to know why. The truth is that I've been stuck as to where to go with it and suffering from extreme writer's block in regards to this story. Also, I've been feeling slightly restricted as to where I can go with it. I feel that if I write a true obsession story and make it as dark and morbid as I want, people would stop reading. Yet if I try to redeem Fitz or make Olitz endgame then people will say that the story's unrealistic and may feel as though I'm romanticising abuse or perpetuating rape culture . So I want to know what you guys think. Would you prefer it if I:**

 **A) Make it as dark and twisty as possible regardless of what's endgame or how terrible Fitz is**

 **B) Redeem Fitz and make Olitz endgame**

 **C) Both**

 **D) None of the above**

 **Any constructive feedback would be great.**

 **Finally, thanks so much if you're still reading this even though I haven't update in such a long time. It means alot :)**

 **-LiberalShill**


	5. The Alliance

**AN: Thanks everyone who commented what they think about how Obsidian should go. I appreciate all reviews even though I may disagree with some. Looking back on it, choice A shouldn't have ever been an option, because Obsidian is meant to be dark and twisty.** **I originally wrote it because I saw a lack of dark/obsession stories in our fandom.** **You may be wondering why I asked you to begin with. At that time, I was completely out of my wits as to what to do and a friend suggested to do a survey to get perspective. My main issue with option B is that I'm incredulous as to whether or not redemption is even possible. So I've just decided to write the story how it naturally comes to me. PM me if you have any concerns/thoughts. Sorry for the long AN enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

 **"And if love be madness, may I never find sanity again" - John Mark Green**

* * *

Cyrus believed that he knew Fitz better than most people.

After all he had mentored Fitz throughout his turbulent college years, and witnessed him transform from an embittered young man to a brilliant politician.

He had provided a positive counterbalance to Big Jerry's harsh and unyielding approach to training him in the early stages of Fitz's political career.

Though while Cyrus knew that Fitz had always had a contentious relationship with his father, he had never known the extent of it until this moment.

Fitz was giving him a look that nearly made his stomach drop. His breathing was ragged and his face was so red that it looked like he would explode.

"Care to explain yourself?" asked Fitz in a deceptively soft tone.

Cyrus opened his mouth and tried to speak but only a barely audible squeak came out. He looked to James for help but his lover only shrugged his shoulders helplessly.

"I said, care to explain yourself?" repeated Fitz through clenched teeth.

Cyrus swallowed deeply and tried to imagine Fitz as the charming though slightly troubled man he had always thought of him as. It was easier to view him that way as opposed to the monster he had seemed to become.

"I just thought that-" Cyrus began.

"You thought what" interrupted Fitz stalking closer to Cyrus.

"That your father's widespread political influence would be good for our approval ratings" explained the petrified chief of staff, moving backwards.

"I'm sorry, but can you repeat the latter half of what you just said?" asked Fitz furrowing his brow in faux confusion.

Cyrus gulped and replied, "Your father joining the campaign would be good for our approval ratings. Considering that-" Fitz held up his hand to silence him.

" _Our_ approval ratings? When did you become my running mate?"

"I meant your approval ratings sir" amended Cyrus in a desperate attempt to appease Fitz.

"No" said Fitz shaking his head and leaning in closer to Cyrus's face. "You meant exactly what you said. Cy you forget that I've known you for over 20 years. Do you really think that I haven't noticed?"

"Noticed what sir?"

"That you secretly desire to be me."

The tension in the room became almost unbearable. Everyone looked to Cyrus awaiting his response. James clasped his hands together and prayed that this night would just come to an end.

Cyrus smiled weakly and shook his head in a desperate attempt to deny the veracity of Fitz's statement. "Sir with all due respect, that's completely preposterous."

"Is it really?" challenged Fitz cocking his head to the side. "You and my father have always enjoyed dictating the ins and outs of my political career. You may have been the more lenient one, but the fact remains that you two have treated me as nothing more than a prop. A puppet simply designed to act out your whims. Now my father's a controlling bastard so it's easy to see why he would behave like that. But you" he paused "are motivated by something much more personal."

"Sir, why don't we talk about this later. We have more pertinent matters to attend to. For one, we have guests-"

"You know deep down that you could never be president. Undoubtedly, you possess the intellect to do the job. But not enough charisma or attractiveness to draw the American people in. You're simply not enough." Fitz slightly stepped backwards and observed the effects that his words were having on Cyrus. He knew he had tapped into some of his deepest insecurities.

Cyrus could feel his face flush and his fists unconsciously clenched up. However, his rationale overwhelmed his pride and he took in deep breaths. Fitz was only trying to rile him up and he wouldn't give him the benefit of knowing that his words had cut deep. Besides, at least Fitz hadn't discovered his true reason for calling Jerry, and Mellie and James were spared.

"Clearly, I was mistaken in calling your father without consulting you first and I sincerely apologize for that. This is your campaign after all. Though, while I admit some wrongdoing I don't think that this gives you the right to disparage me. In front of a group of people, no less. For this reason sir, I think it's best if we depart for the night." Cyrus beckoned to James and the two made their way towards the door.

"Come back and defend yourself like a man" taunted Fitz. He crossed his arms and puffed out his chest. "You queers give up so easily."

Cyrus dropped his hand from the doorknob and his fists started shaking in unadulterated rage. His face turned so red that it looked purple and his lips were curved in an unnatural sneer. He stormed towards Fitz with clear intent on his face.

"No! Cy don't" cried James as his attempt to restrain Cyrus proved futile.

Cyrus pulled his fist back and then launched it forward to hit Fitz in the eye. Fitz caught his fist in a nick of time and twisted it until the old man let out a groan of pain. He then lifted Cyrus up by the lapels of his suit and smiled mockingly.

"Did you really think that would work?" Fitz shook him slightly before releasing him and letting Cyrus fall to the ground.

Fitz lifted his foot and slammed it into Cyrus's hand. When Fitz heard a crack he grinned and looked up to face the crowd. He was unsurprised to see terrified and disturbed faces.

"I know that this night has been shocking for many of you. I seriously advise each and everyone one of you to not speak a word about what happened here. I know that many of you have political aspirations. If I find that even one of you has told someone about this incident, none of you will have a future in politics. Am I understood?"

All of the staffers with the exception of Kelvin dimly nodded their heads, too scared to do otherwise. Olivia, Mellie, and James looked straight ahead in defiance.

"Great. I'm retiring for the night, so one of you needs to escort the guests out. Thank them for coming and say that you hope they'll vote for me come November. Then get some sleep, we'll be on the road to Pennsylvania first thing tomorrow morning. Goodnight."

* * *

As soon as Fitz left, James rushed to Cyrus on the floor. Olivia pulled out a chair for him to sit in and James lead Cyrus to it. Mellie found a book to elevate Cyrus's limp hand on.

"Cy I'm so sorry-" began James.

"James you have nothing to apologize for, Fitz is the only one at fault here," explained Cyrus putting his good arm on James's shoulder.

"I should have stopped him but for some reason, I couldn't get my feet to move" James confessed shaking his head in self-disgust.

"It's okay James, Fitz can be downright terrifying when he gets angry." Mellie shuddered remembering just how violent their fights could get.

"Your hand needs to be inspected. Does anyone here have medical training?" Olivia looked to the group of staffers who for the most part still seemed to be in shock. She sighed, they didn't have time for this.

"Okay people time to get moving. I need five of you to go escort the guests out. Then someone else needs to write a check to the orchestra. Come on guys I shouldn't have to tell you how to do your jobs. You all had extensive preparation for this night." The staffers gradually made their way out, though in an understandably dazed fashion. After about five minutes all of them had left except Kelvin.

"Did you not hear my instructions?" barked Olivia.

"Oh it's just, you asked if anyone had medical training and I'm a licensed EMT" Kelvin told her rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

"That's right. Sorry for yelling at you. Could you please inspect Mr. Beene's hand and see if it's broken?"

"Of course" said Kelvin pulling out a chair next to Cyrus to observe his hand.

It was clearly bruised and a couple of his fingers were crooked to the side.

"Well?" asked James impatiently.

"It's likely broken. I know this will hurt, but can you move your fingers like you're trying to grab something?"

Cyrus gingerly flexed his fingers and felt a searing pain that traveled from the tips of his fingers to his wrist.

"Shit!"

"Definitely broken. He's going to need an ice pack and some strong painkillers," said Kelvin.

"I'll get the ice pack and a bottle of water" offered Mellie rushing out of the room.

Olivia fished around in her purse and pulled out a bottle of Ibuprofen.

"This will have to do." She gave James a handful of pills.

Mellie came back and gave Cyrus the water and ice pack. He swallowed a pill, sighing in relief when James placed the ice pack on his damaged hand.

"So now that that's been taken care of. Why did you ask his father to join the campaign?" asked Olivia.

"Mellie pulled James and I aside earlier tonight and told us about Fitz's behaviour towards you. Basically, how he caused you to lose your job and forced affection onto you." Cyrus didn't noticed Mellie making the stop signal with her hand so he continued.

"Essentially our plan was to get Jerry to come on the trail to rein Fitz in. If there's one person Fitz is afraid of it's his father. We thought that inviting Big Jerry onto the campaign would cause him to spend more time focused on pleasing his father than you."

Olivia stood still, processing what Cyrus had told her. She had to give them some credit, the plan seemed to make sense. However, she was angry that Mellie had revealed something to them she thought had been said in confidence. Also, why hadn't they bothered to consult her first?

"How could you?" Olivia backed away from Mellie feeling slightly betrayed.

"Let me explain" begged Mellie grasping the young woman's shoulders. "I just wanted to help you Olivia. I couldn't bear the guilt of letting you suffer under my husband's tyranny. I know how hellish it can be considering I've done it for almost 20 years" she admitted solemnly.

"Liv, Mellie was only trying to help, please don't be mad at her. Besides, both Cyrus and I had an inkling that something was wrong. Mellie just confirmed our suspicions" said James coming to Mellie's defence.

Olivia told a deep breath and thought for a moment. She started to feel guilty for attacking them when they had her best interests at heart. Still, she had a plan and didn't need them to interfere.

"I appreciate your efforts guys. Really I do. It's just that I already have a plan for how I was going to take down Fitz. Now granted it isn't the most formalised but it makes logical sense" Olivia told them. She quickly glanced to Kelvin who was silently watching them with a perplexed look on his face, before refocusing on James and Mellie.

"What was your plan Olivia?" asked Mellie.

Olivia sat down in a chair, wringing her hands together before answering Mellie. "Well I thought that if I learned more about Fitz by spending time around him then eventually I'd be able to pinpoint his weaknesses, and exploit them. I'm also having a friend of mine collect information on him."

James looked incredulous. "First of all, how exactly do you plan on doing that? Secondly, why is your friend uniquely qualified to do such research? Thirdly, have you stopped to consider that perhaps our two plans would go well together?"

Olivia rolled her eyes at James before letting out a light chuckle. "Gradually, I'm going to pretend to soften up to him and act like I want to be with him. That I was simply afraid of being with him because of what the public might think of it. Then once he believes me I'll coax him into telling me some incriminating details about himself. I'll use said details to form some sort of opposition against him that he can't recover from."

Cyrus raised his eyebrow quite impressed with what she had told them. "And how does your friend fit into this?"

"He's a whistleblower who used to work for the NSA. I represented him in court and got his sentence his sentence cut down from 20 years to simply 18 months with parole. Every since then he's felt indebted to me. He'd do anything to protect me." Olivia truly wasn't exaggerating the only person in this world who loved her more than Huck was probably her dad.

Mellie nodded her head in approval. "I like your plan it's clever. But like James said our plans aren't mutually exclusive. In fact, by calling up Big Jerry we made it easier for you to pinpoint Fitz's weaknesses. His bravado dissipates in front of his father."

"Like I said before I appreciate the help Mels I really do. But this is a battle that I'll have to fight on my own" said Olivia.

James rapidly shook his head. "Olivia, that monster humiliated my lover in front of everyone, called him a slur, then physically assaulted him. You're definitely not the only one with a bone in this fight."

"James is right Olivia we all have a bone to pick with Fitzgerald" said Mellie with venom in her voice.

"We aren't letting you fight this alone Olivia" added Cyrus resolutely.

Olivia sighed and nodded her head in agreement.

"Alright then, I guess we are all in this together then."

They all stood in a comfortable silence until Kelvin cleared his throat. Suddenly, they were all reminded of his presence.

Olivia sauntered up to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "Can we trust you to keep what we said here a secret?"

"Absolutely Ms. Pope. Mr. Grant's actions tonight were disgusting and they showed me a part of him that I never thought existed. I could never support a man like that. You can rely on me to keep your plans confidential" said Kelvin reassuringly.

"Thank-you" responded Olivia with a genuine smile. She let out a yawn and looked at her watch seeing that it was already past midnight.

"Guys I think it's time that we depart for the night" she suggested. The quartet left the conference room and made their way to the elevators. Everyone but Olivia was going to the ninth floor. She pressed the button for the twelfth level.

Cyrus furrowed his brow in confusion. "Liv why isn't your room on the same floor as everyone else's?"

"Fitz paid for a deluxe suite for he and I to stay in last night. I wish I didn't have to go back there but he'll probably get pissed if I don't and all of my luggage is in there." Although Olivia kept her face blank she was a bit scared to go to the suite. Especially after what Fitz told her about her soon being his at the ball. She needed time to think about last night.

"Liv you need to find somewhere else to go for the night. Screw his feelings. You will be in danger if you decide to go to his room. Fitz is probably drunk and definitely angry that his father is coming. With those two things combined I have no doubt that he will try to force himself onto you if you to the suite." Mellie knew from experience that when alcohol got in her husband's system is sure wasn't a pretty picture for those around him.

Olivia gulped and rubbed her temples. "Mels you're probably right. But where would I stay for the night?"

"You can stay with me" offered Kelvin. "I accidentally got a room with two beds."

"Sounds great. Thanks Kelvin."

"No problem" he responded. They got to the ninth floor and exchanged good nights, before going to their respective rooms. Mellie gave Olivia a spare pair of pyjamas and they went their separate ways for the night.

About a half hour after Olivia had settled into Kelvin's room, there was a sharp knock at the door that roused both of them from their sleep.

"I'll get it" said Kelvin groggily. He went to the door and looked through the peephole. There were three large and stocky men outside of their room. The blond guy who stood in front of the two other ones, looked oddly familiar and Kelvin remembered that he was one of Fitz's bodyguards. He wondered why they were there.

"Olivia there are three bodyguards outside of room. Any idea why they might be here?"

She had to think for a second before her eyes widened. "They're probably here because Fitz sent them to come get me."

Although Kelvin didn't exactly know the full story behind Olivia and Fitz's relationship, he knew that this wasn't a proper time to ask questions. "Quick! Go hide in the shower. I'll stall them as long as I can" he whispered. Olivia tiptoed out of her bed and into the bathroom. She got into the shower and moved the curtain so that it fully hide her body. Kelvin came behind her and turned off the light.

"I'll get you when they leave" he said before softly closing the bathroom door. The knocking got louder and he hurried to answer the door.

"Hello sir, can I help you?" asked Kelvin

"Yes, we're looking for a particular person and haven't found her yet. So we'd like to check your room just to make sure that she isn't here" said Tom.

Kelvin cleared his throat. "May I ask who this person is and why you all are looking for her?"

"No" said Tom rudely before barging inside of the room. He and the other bodyguards inspected the room. They looked underneath the beds and in the closet, still not finding Olivia anywhere.

"We got nothing boss" said one of the men to Tom.

"Check the bathroom" suggested Tom. Kelvin prayed that they didn't find look in the shower.

Olivia had doused off but awoke once she heard the door opening and the light came on. Her heart started beating rapidly and she prayed that they didn't find her.

Luckily, the man had only done a cursory check. The lights went off again and the door shut. She left out a sigh of deep relief.

The man shook his head at Tom. "She isn't in there sir." Tom cursed under his breath before opening the door and leaving with his men in tow.

As soon as they were gone, Kelvin rushed to the bathroom and told Olivia that they had left.

"Thank goodness" she said crawling back into her bed. Kelvin turned off the lights and did the same.

Just as he was about to fall asleep him heard a soft voice calling his name. He turned and saw Olivia staring back at him.

"I just wanted to thank you for all you've done to help me while on the campaign. You've been amazingly understanding and I appreciate it so much" she told him with utter sincerity in her voice.

"It's fine. I'm honoured to be able to help someone as amazing as you" he said smiling at Olivia. She blushed before murmuring good night once more. They both fell asleep each with a lot on their mind.

* * *

Fitz agitatedly paced back and forth on the carpet as he waited for Tom to report back to him on Olivia's whereabouts. He has anticipated that she would try to avoid him tonight after what he told her at the ball. Fitz gulped down his third glass of bourbon in a matter of seconds before sitting down in a chair. While the sting of the alcohol burned his throat, Fitz knew it would help him forget the fact that his father would be joining the campaign in a few days time.

' _Big Jerry_. _Such a warm jovial nickname for such a despicable man'_ he thought cynically twisting his lips.

Before Fitz could fall into a stupor, there was knock on his door. He grinned, jumping up to open it. He couldn't wait to see Olivia squirming around in Tom's arms begging him to release her.

Once he opened the door and saw that Tom was standing in front of him empty handed, the grin fell from his face.

"Where's Olivia?" he asked confusedly.

Tom nervously licked his lips before answering him.

"Sir, we looked everywhere we could but Miss Pope was nowhere to be found. It seems as though she's left the building."

Fitz looked at him in utter disbelief. "Excuse me, are you telling me that three ex-military men couldn't find one small woman who barely weighs 120 pounds?"

"Governor, we looked in every single one of the aides hotel rooms and didn't see her anywhere. I'm out of my wits on this one" said Tom running his hands through his hair in frustration.

Fitz felt his temper starting to rise and pursed his lips together. "Larsen I hired you because you were the best that the Academy had to offer. However, I'm starting to have doubts about your competency. If you can't find one person then how can I depend on you on to handle bigger challenges if you were potentially to serve as my Secret Service?"

Tom looked deeply offended that Fitz would doubt his abilities. "Sir, I'm very sorry that we weren't able to find her. Please know that we did our-"

"Save me the speech Larsen. You're dismissed for the night." Fitz slammed the door in Tom's face.

This night was just getting better and better. Not only would he have to see his father soon, he couldn't even indulge in the pleasures of his little doe's delightful body.

"Fuck!" Fitz hurled his glass across the room. It slammed into a wall with a sharp crack and shattered pieces of glass fell to the floor.

He stumbled across the room intending to go to his bedroom. However, when he got inside the room he realized that it was Olivia's. Her suitcase was left open and the bed was haphazardly made.

The suite smelled of lilacs and lavender, reminding him of Olivia's perfume. He moved closer into the room and fell atop the bed. Fitz took in a deep breath and realized that even the pillows smelled like her. Letting out a strangled moan he brought a pillow tightly to his chest. Blood rushed to his groin as thoughts of Olivia came to the forefront of his mind.

He grabbed his member and closed his eyes imagining Olivia underneath him, completely at his mercy.

He knew she'd scream and try to fight him off at first. But he would latch his lips to her own and hold her down so she couldn't escape. Then he'd look in her eyes and violently thrust inside of her. Of course, she would likely cry and thrash around in pain (a sight that would greatly amuse him). But he would just keep _thrusting and thrusting and thrusting._ Until her body stilled and only low whimpers could be heard.

' _Then, she would finally submit to me. It would be beautiful_ ' he thought with a wistful grin on his face.

Fitz came then soon fell asleep comforted by these thoughts.

 **AN: Thanks for reading! I know that the latter half of this chapter may disturb some readers. I just want you to know that it isn't my intention to glorify or romanticize Fitz's disturbing thoughts. When I started writing this my goal was to make it as realistic as possible and part of that is showing the unadulterated thoughts of the characters. If you have any comments or concerns PLEASE Pm me or message me at my Tumblr blog theliberalshill. I can't really talk to a person if they decide to leave a guest review.**


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